Range Runners

Survival in the woods. Determination to live. It had the elements to be a fine movie.

Instead it kept me asking why? No reasonable person would act the way these characters acted. In order for this movie to work, you'd have to have a suspension of disbelief fueled by heavy doses of narcotics.

Such a same.

This movie had me saying "why the f would you do that" about 100 times. Bad script, horrible acting and no common sense. Nothing about this film could even be considered partially realistic. The decisions made by all parties are stupid and void of all logic. The writing is very bad.

Celeste M. Cooper actually does a terrific job acting here. Some of it feels amateur but overall a good watch where you root for Mel and try to absorb the motivational flashbacks.

On parts of the film I started to roll my eyes at all the loud cries of pain with her perps possibly finding her location with all the noise. I know that combat training teaches you to subdue your sounds, but I thought common sense would, as well. Of course, it made the film more tense, I guess. But much of the film relies on the protagonist's bad decisions to set up difficult situations, as with any thriller.

The rest of the acting was subpar but it got its point across. The videography was really good. I don't have anything to say about the soundtrack, which is probably a compliment in itself considering that bad soundtrack's are annoying and noticeable.

I have a soft spot in my heart for freshman or sophomore films made on a micro budget. I know the cast sometimes doubles as the crew and I know that the money invested in making the movie is nothing compared to the blood, sweat and tears of the people who made it.

With that said, it's really hard to make a thriller without knowing what thrills the audience. If the premise is that an obviously depressed women decides to run through the wilderness, the audience needs to see what is scary about the wilderness. Although we hear where they are discussed, we have no context as to where it is. Are they in a National Park or in someone's back yard? Why are the trails empty? A spot of exposition or more overhead drones of green would have helped. There's so much context lost by not knowing why the heroine should be guarded,

Second, Celeste Cooper does an admirable job of SHOWING not TELLING that she is troubled and grieving. She is restrained, intense and quiet in her pain. She understands what her character is telling us, and really doesn't need the injury trope for us to know she is troubled. She gives a hell of a performance.

So too does Michael B. Woods, the mopey eyed criminal who is over his head and knows it. His part should have been bigger, and it would have fit with the story better had he had a chance at redemption.

Last, I would like to see more movies by the people who made this one. I think they did a good job in spite of the limitations, and I think the hate here is unjustified.

Yes, I would gladly be a free script doctor for their next project. I like their enthusiasm.

The movie had a great storyline. I had no problem just watching the movie because of how interesting it was The main actress killed it. She really knew what she was doing she definitely acts better then most actresses. The other actors did great too.